Diabetic muscle infarction in association with terlipressin therapy: a case report

Kaohsiung J Med Sci. 2009 Jan;25(1):25-8. doi: 10.1016/S1607-551X(09)70036-1.

Abstract

Diabetic muscle infarction (DMI) is a rare complication that often exists in long-standing diabetic patients. Clinically, it presents with pain, swelling and sometimes a palpable mass, and is often misdiagnosed as soft tissue infection. The athogenesis of DMI is uncertain. We present the case of a type 2 diabetic patient with liver cirrhosis who was diagnosed with muscle infarction after being treated with terlipressin for gastrointestinal bleeding. This 45-year-old male complained of increasing pain in his right posterior thigh after treatment with terlipressin for 2 days. He was initially diagnosed with soft tissue infection, but he responded poorly to antibiotic treatment. Magnetic resonance imaging suggested acute muscle infarction. We performed a muscle biopsy and the pathologist reported that the muscle was necrotic. After 5 days of bed rest, the patient was able to walk and was discharged uneventfully.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / complications*
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / drug therapy*
  • Humans
  • Infarction / diagnostic imaging
  • Infarction / etiology*
  • Infarction / pathology
  • Lypressin / adverse effects
  • Lypressin / analogs & derivatives*
  • Lypressin / therapeutic use
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Muscles / blood supply*
  • Muscles / diagnostic imaging
  • Muscles / pathology
  • Radiography
  • Terlipressin

Substances

  • Lypressin
  • Terlipressin